A motorist traveling on Highway 34 left the roadway late Thursday night in a single-vehicle crash with injuries, Philomath Fire & Rescue reported.
Capt. Rich Saalsaa said the local fire department was dispatched to the scene at 10:06 p.m. to find a vehicle with heavy damage on its side off the roadway. The crash occurred on the east side of the highway at Gray Creek Lane, which is roughly three miles southwest from the Highway 20/34 intersection.
The driver, a male in his late teens, was the lone occupant of the passenger vehicle and according to the report “was talking and was wedged between the steering wheel and seat.” Emergency responders extricated the driver by removing the roof of the car and using a backboard to slide the person out.
Saalsaa, who served as incident commander, said the vehicle appeared to be southbound, crossed over the oncoming lane and crashed into a ditch with the car flipping over front to back and landing on its side.
The driver suffered injuries that were determined to be non-life-threatening and was transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center via Corvallis Fire Department ambulance.
Philomath Fire & Rescue responded with an engine crew of four and requested more help from a light rescue vehicle with two personnel and an engine company with two personnel from the fire district’s Inavale station.
Highway 34 was closed for approximately 20 minutes. The Philomath Police Department and Benton County Sheriff’s Office also reportedly worked the scene.